Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel insists Harry Kane will be an “absolute success story” for the Bundesliga champions.
The England captain has scored three goals and registered one assist in his first four matches since an initial £86million move from Tottenham and Tuchel believes he is the “perfect” striker for them.
“We have exactly the player we need, with the personality of the way he plays, in Harry Kane,” Tuchel told a press conference ahead of Friday’s visit of Bayer Leverkusen.
“We try to get him more involved in our game and this is going to be an absolute success story.
“We have the perfect striker for us and we are more than happy with him.”
After a tumultuous week with the national team – Germany sacked Hansi Flick after a 4-1 defeat to Japan – Tuchel has no concerns about his returning internationals.
“I don’t have to build them up, they did it themselves with a good performance and victory over France (2-1 on Tuesday),” he added.
“Yesterday we worked together for five minutes in the dressing room and it was pretty much business as usual.”
Former Bayern and RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann is the favourite to replace Flick and his successor at club level Tuchel gave him his backing.
“Yes, he can do it. He is an outstanding coach and it’s up to him but as far as his skills and know-how it is not a problem.”
What is more of a problem is the challenge of Leverkusen, as at least one of the Bundesliga’s two remaining 100 per cent records will end at the Allianz Arena with the visitors currently topping the table on goal difference after an impressive start to the season.
Tuchel is an admirer of the work Xabi Alonso has done, saying: “He is a really good coach and that’s what he proves now.
“I learned a lot about football watching Xabi Alonso play. He was a really important figure in the national team, Bayern, Real and Liverpool in central midfield.
“He knows the game and he has that natural aura on the pitch leading his team to the biggest victories so it is not a surprise he is an outstanding coach.”
Joshua Kimmich is doubtful for the game, as is Eric Choupo-Moting, after returning from international duty with an injury but Jamal Musiala, whose back problem meant he did not join up with Germany, is likely to be fit.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is expected to return from a calf injury before next month’s international break.
Bayer Leverkusen's 'dream season' down to self-belief – Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double was the result of players keeping faith in the team throughout what turned into a dream season, so says Xabi Alonso.
Leverkusen added the Pokal to their Bundesliga crown with a 1-0 victory over second-tier Kaiserslautern.
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the game as he arrowed in from distance in the 16th minute.
"In the end, to win like that meant we showed spirit, we fought for the fans for the club," said Alonso.
"It is a huge success to win the double. We will remember this in the future."
Leverkusen lost only one of 53 matches across all competitions this season, with that sole defeat coming in Wednesday's Europa League final against Atalanta, denying them a treble.
"The most important thing was the belief of the team. They were ready to battle with 10 players and I am proud of that," Alonso said.
"I need time to accept what happened this season. It was a dream season and to celebrate the last day like this here is special."
Leverkusen will be looking to build on their success next season, with Alonso having snubbed the advances of Liverpool and Bayern Munich in order to stay at the club.
Kaiserslautern 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen: Xhaka stunner seals DFB-Pokal triumph
Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past second-tier Kaiserslautern 1-0 on Saturday to win the DFB-Pokal and secure the club's first domestic double.
Leverkusen missed out on a treble after losing 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday, in what was astonishingly their first defeat of the season in all competitions, after a European record 51-game unbeaten run.
But at Berlin's Olympic stadium, which will host the Euro 2024 final in July, Xabi Alonso's side ensured they capped off a remarkable campaign with another piece of silverware thanks to Granit Xhaka's stunning 16th-minute strike.
The ball rolled out to the former Arsenal man around 25 yards out, and he planted an unstoppable first-time effort into the left-hand side of the net.
They controlled the pace even after they were reduced to 10 men following Odilon Kossounou's second booking a minute before half-time.
Kaiserslautern rarely threatened after the break, with Leverkusen limiting their opponents to just 0.2 expected goals.
And even though they could not add to their lead, Leverkusen were able to comfortably wrap up their second trophy of the best season in the club's history.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen join the club
Leverkusen are only the fifth different side to win the double in Germany since the Bundesliga was founded, after Bayern Munich (13 times), 1. Koln, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund.
Xhaka's strike was a worthy winner. He became the first Swiss player to score in a DFB-Pokal final.
Barcelona coach Giraldez celebrates 'one of the happiest days' after Women's Champions League triumph
Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez celebrated "one of the happiest days" of his life after his side claimed the Women's Champions League title.
Giraldez led Barca to a 2-0 victory over fellow heavyweights Lyon in Bilbao on Saturday.
Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas got the goals in the second half, as Barca beat Lyon for the first time and won the Champions League for a third season out of the last four.
Giraldez will now leave Barca to take charge of Washington Spirit in the NWSL, but was able to leave on the highest note possible, having won a quadruple this term, becoming the first European team since Arsenal in 2007 to manage such a haul in a single campaign.
He told DAZN: "It was an incredible game, I am really happy, one of the best days of my life for sure.
"We did an amazing job with the ball, without the ball. we suffered in the last minutes, but I'm very proud of all of them."
Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze, whose future with the club is uncertain, told DAZN: "We knew that that's what we needed, to be a club to make history.
"It's not easy, it's hard to win it once. To win it back to back, Lyon showed how difficult it is and this team has finally done that. We go down in history as one of the best teams in Europe."
Barca's two Ballon d'Or winners scored their goals, with Bonmati breaking the deadlock just after the hour before Putellas lashed home in stoppage time.
"She's the captain of the team, she's the Queen of Barcelona for a reason," Bronze said of Putellas.
"She's always so confident in the team and showed today why she is a back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner.
"She's got the quality to do that in the last minute of the Champions League final when we were up against it at the end and just sealed the win for us. It was amazing."
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